September 23, 2013

Best B-Schools for Entrepreneurship

Last week, The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine announced the results of their annual survey of the top entrepreneurship programs in the nation. These are the programs that offer a broad range of courses in entrepreneurship, as well as significant opportunities for networking with established entrepreneurs, launching start-ups, and developing the skills needed to start successful businesses.

“Our annual ranking provides current and potential entrepreneurs with an overview of the best programs out there that will help cultivate their passions,” says Amy Cosper, VP and editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine.

Babson College in Massachusetts earned the #1 spot on the undergraduate entrepreneurship program list for the second consecutive year, and it ranked #2 on the graduate program list. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan finished #1 on the graduate program list, up from #2 in 2012.

“We have created a culture at Ross where entrepreneurship is a major focus of our curriculum and a core value,” says Alison Davis-Blake, dean of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, in a statement.

Stewart Thornhill, executive director of the school’s Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, calls the ranking a badge of honor as well as an endorsement of Ross’s unique methodology. “We do it through a matrix of multidisciplinary coursework, action-based learning, staff and faculty seminars, and alumni networking,” he explains.

Top 10 Graduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Programs

University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Babson College

Harvard Business School

Rice University

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Stanford Graduate School of Business

UT McCombs School of Business

Brigham Young University

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

USC Marshall School of Business

This year’s roster includes several schools that made the top entrepreneurship program lists for the first time, including Harvard University, George Washington University (#25-graduate list), New York University (#24-graduate list), and Stanford University (#7-undergraduate list and #6-graduate list).

The Princeton Review conducted its survey for this project from April through June 2013. From more than 2,000 schools that The Princeton Review solicited data for this project, 39 institutions’ undergraduate and/or graduate programs made it to the final list.

The survey asked school administrators 60 questions covering: their schools’ levels of commitment to entrepreneurship inside and outside the classroom, the percentage of faculty, students, and alumni actively and successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, and the number and reach of their mentorship programs.

Schools also provided information about their scholarships and grants for entrepreneurial studies and projects, and their support for school-sponsored business plan competitions. In all, over 30 data points were analyzed to tally the final list of top ranking programs and schools.

“The opportunity to expand a skillset or network with business influentials can launch a career forward or infuse new perspectives into a company’s growth strategy,” says Cosper. “The competitive edge these institutions provide is reason enough to see their value, no matter how untraditional the entrepreneurial pursuit may be.”

The Princeton Review has partnered with Entrepreneur Media Inc. on this annual project since 2006. Only schools that participate in The Princeton Review survey for this project are eligible for consideration for the ranking lists.